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Match details
Fixture: (1) Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys
Date: 16 June 2021
Tournament: bett1Open 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Berlin, Germany
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Grass
Prize money: $565,530
Match timing: Approx. 5 pm local time, 3 pm GMT, 11 am EST, 8.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys preview
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will begin her quest for the bett1Open title in Berlin when she takes on World No. 28 Madison Keys on Wednesday.
Sabalenka would be hoping to brush off her French Open disappointment and get down to business quickly in Berlin. The Belarusian, who won the title in Madrid, was one of the favorites at Roland Garros. However, her journey was abruptly cut short by eventual runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round.
That was an unexpected blip in what has otherwise been a scintillating season for Sabalenka. Given the kind of devastating form that she has displayed over the last few months, the World No. 4 should be expected to bounce back soon.
That said, Aryna Sabalenka might not have an easy start to her Berlin campaign as she has the dangerous Madison Keys waiting for her in the second round.
Keys' start to the 2021 season got delayed by a positive COVID-19 test. And since returning to the tour, the former US Open runner-up hasn't been able to recapture her best form.
Keys has an underwhelming 5-7 win-loss record for the season. In fact, the recently-concluded French Open was the first tournament in 2021 where the 26-year-old won two matches in a row.
With the tour moving to grass - a surface on which Keys has earned a lot of success in the past - the American would be hoping for a turnaround in her fortunes. The former Birmingham and Eastbourne champion has started her Berlin challenge in encouraging fashion too, with a commanding 6-3, 6-4 win over World No. 146 Magdalena Frech.
Keys would be keen to take that momentum into what promises to be a tough second-round encounter against Sabalenka.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys head-to-head
Aryna Sabalenka leads Madison Keys 1-0 in their head-to-head, having won their solitary encounter at Cincinnati in 2018. The Belarusian emerged a 6-3, 6-4 winner in that match.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys prediction
This will be a battle between two players who show no mercy in hitting the ball. However, the two hard hitters are currently enjoying contrasting fortunes; while Aryna Sabalenka is in the best phase of her career, Madison Keys' 2021 season has been mired in illness and inconsistency.
But given their respective past records on grass, Keys should be confident of putting up a fight on Wednesday. Her booming serve and powerful groundstrokes have earned her a couple of titles on the slick surface as well as a run to Wimbledon quarterfinals (in 2015).
Keys has also had a feel of the surface and the conditions already. Her first-round win over Frech on Monday, where she served three aces and won 73% of her first-serve points, was a positive sign.
Sabalenka, on the other hand, is not too comfortable on grass, and has never been past the second round at Wimbledon. Her only final on the surface came back in 2018 at Eastbourne, where she finished as the runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki.
That said, Keys' lack of consistency over the past few months could tilt the balance in favor of the Belarusian. The World No. 4 has been solid throughout the season, and her experience of winning big matches will likely help her navigate past the tough moments.
If Sabalenka can hit the spots on her serve and cut down on her unforced errors, she should be able to edge Keys in this intriguing second-round match.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka to win in three sets.
